APPLETON — Over the past 100 years, Lawrence University has had its share of presidential hopefuls and campaign figureheads on campus.

In March 1960, Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy spoke in the liberal arts college’s Riverview Lounge. In March 1988, it was Republican candidate George H. W. Bush who delivered an address inside the school’s chapel. In recent years, it’s been Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry on the campaign trail during his 2004 run, and just in March, Republican candidate Mitt Romney took the stage inside the campus’ Stansbury Theater as the unofficial, but clear winner of the GOP nomination.

Like the campaigners who’ve come before her, first lady Michelle Obama’s visit to the college on Friday afternoon will put a shiny spotlight on Lawrence — a glow that will surely be seen nationwide, if only for a brief moment. And in terms of recruiting students, that could be a major plus for the private university where enrollment was just shy of 1,500 in fall 2011.

Colleges have always been a popular backdrop for stump speeches performed by both presidential candidates and their messengers. But what makes Lawrence University — a small college that equals the size of some major high schools — such a prime spot to address voters?

Arnold Shober, a government professor at Lawrence, spells out a number of reasons. First, the college’s location is positioned between Green Bay and Oshkosh — two extra markets in addition to Appleton from which media coverage and support can be drawn. Plus, Republicans and Democrats see the area as a ballot pool they can both dive into.

“Both sides see vote opportunity here,” he said.

In 2004, George W. Bush bathed northeast Wisconsin in red, and in 2008, it was a Democratic blue in favor of President Barack Obama.

Despite John Kerry’s overall loss of the area in 2004, Shober said Kerry’s stop at Lawrence probably threw more votes his way.

In general, there are a number of reasons why a presidential candidate would choose to stop at an institution of higher education. For example, the selected backdrop could provide a theme for the speech’s topic.

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Dennis Brown, a spokesman for the University of Notre Dame near South Bend, Ind., said the well-known Catholic research university is a often a place where candidates address issues of importance to their Catholic constituents or about religion in general.

The private university has had a long-standing tradition of inviting presidential and vice presidential candidates to speak at the college. On Monday, the university and student body presidents both wrote letters to Romney and Obama, asking them to consider the college as a place to visit on the campaign trail. The tradition began 60 years ago by Notre Dame President Rev. Theodore Hesburgh. Since then, Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and many others have answered the call.

Brown also said universities in general are meant to be places for the “free exchange of ideas” — marking an ideal location for the democratic process to flourish. And from a candidate’s perspective, the nominee has a chance to reach out to a new generation.

“They can tap into young voters who will often times be voting for the first time,” Brown said.

While Notre Dame might not need the publicity that a visiting candidate can provide, it can definitely have an impact at Lawrence University.

Ken Anselment, Lawrence’s dean of admissions and financial aid, said having a major political figure visit the campus gives the school credibility that is unlike anything an admission’s official could tell a prospective student or parent.

Anselment said the university used the Romney’s March visit as a recruitment tool — highlighting the moment on the school’s blog and website.

“Romney came in (March), which was a high decision time for students,” he said.

Luke Randall, a vocal performance senior at Lawrence, conducts campus tours and recalls the day Romney visited. He was unable to show his tour group inside the Stansbury Theater because of the event and the high security.

“Most people were excited,” he said.

That excitement is again being felt around campus this week as Michelle Obama’s visit nears.

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Perrin Tourangeau, an undecided freshman at Lawrence, said Mrs. Obama’s visit to the university started out as a rumor on Monday that spread around among students before it was confirmed.

Tourangeau, who was planning to pick up tickets to the free event on Tuesday, said she was excited to hear the first lady speak.

“The two of them (the Obamas) do a real good job of getting the youth to participate,” she said.

Megan Occhino, also an undecided freshman, said the June recall election of Gov. Scott Walker could have had a different result if more student voters were involved.

Both Tourangeau and Occhino saw Mrs. Obama’s visit as an opportunity for her husband’s campaign to reach out to young voters, but neither student thought Lawrence’s history of hosting presidential candidates influenced their decision to attend the school.